Very much a beginner...

[oneilldom]

Hello all,

I bought a Canon AE-1 recently after reading it was a great all round for a beginner and I picked one up for pretty cheap.

I took it to Cornwall on a short trip armed with some Ektar 100 film. I shot a roll of 36. Or at least I think I did. I should preface my questions with I know nothing at all about photography or cameras. So please explain any answers like I'm 5 years old...

So I shot the 36, then when I tried to wind the film back into the canister I assumed the pegs which hold the film in place inside the camera body would release or the mechanism would turn the opposite way to allow it to wind back into the canister. I now know this is not the case and the roll of film came out of the canister and is now, as far as I can tell, useless.

My first question is how do you roll a film back into the canister without this carnage happening? (Sorry if this is very basic and painfully obvious... gotta start somewhere, right? )

My second question is once I popped the back (after I gave up on saving the film) I noticed the film didn't look like it had changed at all. I've seen negatives in the past but this didn't look like any imprint had been made on the film at all. Am I missing a step here? Or is there something wrong with the camera/my shooting? I always assumed once you took a shot and you took the film out of the camera to examine it, the negative would appear on the film straight away? Does this step happen when you develop the film?

Again apologies if these are very basic or even comical questions. This is all new to me and I've no idea what I'm doing. I've just started reading up on the basics just so you know I'm not a complete lost cause!

Thank you in advance.

 

[Designer]

1. Did you press the film release before rewinding?

2. Exposed but undeveloped film doesn't look like processed negatives or processed transparencies. Just looks like film.

 

[Ihatemymoney]

Hello all,

I bought a Canon AE-1 recently after reading it was a great all round for a beginner and I picked one up for pretty cheap.

I took it to Cornwall on a short trip armed with some Ektar 100 film. I shot a roll of 36. Or at least I think I did. I should preface my questions with I know nothing at all about photography or cameras. So please explain any answers like I'm 5 years old...

So I shot the 36, then when I tried to wind the film back into the canister I assumed the pegs which hold the film in place inside the camera body would release or the mechanism would turn the opposite way to allow it to wind back into the canister. I now know this is not the case and the roll of film came out of the canister and is now, as far as I can tell, useless.

My first question is how do you roll a film back into the canister without this carnage happening? (Sorry if this is very basic and painfully obvious... gotta start somewhere, right? )

My second question is once I popped the back (after I gave up on saving the film) I noticed the film didn't look like it had changed at all. I've seen negatives in the past but this didn't look like any imprint had been made on the film at all. Am I missing a step here? Or is there something wrong with the camera/my shooting? I always assumed once you took a shot and you took the film out of the camera to examine it, the negative would appear on the film straight away? Does this step happen when you develop the film?

Again apologies if these are very basic or even comical questions. This is all new to me and I've no idea what I'm doing. I've just started reading up on the basics just so you know I'm not a complete lost cause!

Thank you in advance.

There are all kinds of videos on the AE 1 on you tube .

I hope this helps,,,,
PS be allot cheaper to learn on a digital camera !!!!!!!

 

[oneilldom]

1. Did you press the film release before rewinding?

2. Exposed but undeveloped film doesn't look like processed negatives or processed transparencies. Just looks like film.

Hello all,

I bought a Canon AE-1 recently ...

There are all kinds of videos on the AE 1 on you tube .

I hope this helps,,,,
PS be allot cheaper to learn on a digital camera !!!!!!!

Thank you guys! I did not press the film release button. And that also explains why I thought there was maybe an issue with my camera initially given I couldn't see the negatives.
I'm going to try and delete the thread if I can cause you guys have answered the questions and it'll just be clogging up the feed.

Thanks again.

 

[TCampbell]

I still have my original AE-1 (I got it new back in ... I'm going to guess it was 1978). It's a great camera.

On the bottom of the camera, there is a single black button (it is the only button on the bottom of the camera). Press that button and THEN you can rewind the film back into the canister.

As you rewind, watch the film-counter window (adjacent to the shutter button on the top of the camera) and it'll count down all the way to '0' (and ultimately to the 'S') and you should "feel" the film release from the take-up reel and it will suddenly get very easy to rewind it (because it's now all safely back inside the light-proof canister.)

NOW you can pull up on the rewind knob and release the film door.

Also... when loading film... make sure it's solidly in the take-up spool and don't be afraid to waste a couple of frames with the door open (click the shutter, wind, click the shutter... to make sure it's winding). A beginner mistake is to not quite get the take-up spool to grab... close the door, and then shoot an entire roll only to discover the film was never advancing and you've wasted all your time.